giving a book is a classic christmas gift, but that doesn't mean you don't have to put a lot of care and time into choosing the right book. perhaps it will be the book of a lifetime for that person, the one that will hold a special place in their heart forever, or the one that will restore the reading habit of those who have lost it. so, if giving books is on your agenda (I hope it is), here are a few suggestions to suit different tastes.
NON-FICTION
for those who prefer to focus on serious matters of reality, here are a few suggestions: 
capital: in the twenty-first century, thomas piketty - a detailed study (700 pages!) of historical and economic data on the dynamics of inequality throughout the 20th century.
evicted: poverty and profit in the american city, matthew desmond - this pulitzer prize-winning book follows the intertwined destinies of eight families in an extraordinary ethnographic study of public housing tenants in the deindustrialized midsize city of milwaukee, wisconsin.
caste: the origins of our discontents, isabel wilkerson - through multi-layered analysis and the stories of real people, caste explores the structure of an unspoken system of human ranking and reveals how our lives are still limited by what divided us centuries ago. a must-read book about how brutal misconceptions about race have disfigured america.
the tyranny of merit, michael j. sandel - one of the most renowned philosophers of our time shows us the consequences of the meritocratic organization of society and the extent to which it is directly linked to the rise of populism.
our fragile moment, michael mann - the conditions for human life on earth are fragile, incredibly so. climate variability has at times created new niches for humans or their ancestors to take advantage of, and challenges that at times drove innovation. but there is a narrow range within which human life can survive. and if we want to survive, we need to stay within that range. this book provides the knowledge necessary to appreciate the severity of the unfolding climate crisis, while encouraging us-and others-to act before it is truly too late.
merchants of doubt, naomi oreskes and erik m. conway - an examination of the history of corporate-funded public relations efforts to sow confusion and skepticism about scientific research and to manipulate public opinion.
no one is to small to make a difference, greta thunberg - is a small collection of speeches that she gave at the united nations and during her travels, which in fact made her a symbol of her generation.
a life on our planet, david attenborough - recalls the moment when mankind learned of the limits of our earth when, in 1968, the apollo 8 mission transmitted images of the earth from space. the planet seemed so small and vulnerable, and this should have been a wake-up call that the world and its resources are not infinite. it's a passionate book, from a voice of wisdom and warmth that makes people of all ages and backgrounds value what he has to say.
FICTION
for those in search of stories that are long in the memory:
all the light we cannot see, anthony doer - this is the beautiful and moving story of marie, a young blind girl in the picturesque town of st. malo, occupied by the germans and surrounded by allied bombers that destroyed much of the town before the end of the war. and that of werner pfenning, a young Nazi soldier caught in the ruins of a great hotel. long before werner and marie meet, there is already a web of connections between them.
cat's eye, margaret atwood - a portrait of childhood and adolescence, especially girlhood, centered on the abusive childhood relationship between elaine and her best friend Cordelia. as always, attwood pays precise and devastating attention to detail, exploring the treacherous dynamics of bullying and its effects over the years.
the seven moons of maali almeida, shehan karunatilaka - maali almeida is dead and he wants to know why. a war photographer, gambler, and unacknowledged homosexual, he wakes up dead in what looks like a heavenly public office. his dismembered body sinks into the placid waters of lake beira, and maali does not know who killed him. but even in the hereafter, time runs out, and he has seven months to contact the man and woman of his life, lead them to the shocking photographs, and solve the mystery of his death.
demon copperhead, barbara kingsolver - this heartbreaking novel, winner of a pullitzer prize, has been on the bestseller list for 54 weeks. it tells the story of damon fields, a young man born in the late 1980s into poverty in appalachia during the opioid crisis, in the us state of virginia. with an attitude problem that gives him the nickname "demon" and hair that explains "copperhead", we follow his story between foster homes, child labor, sporting success and injuries, addiction and failed love stories.
TO READ OUT LOUD:
letters from father christmas, j. r. r. tolkien - on december 24, 1920, j. r. r. tolkien decided to write a letter to his 3-year-old son john, who had recently asked for father christmas. every christmas eve for the next 23 years, he wrote letters as father christmas to his four children. the letters, handwritten and written in red ink, told stories about living at the north pole, and they all began the same: "dear children, there is so much to tell you. first of all a merry christmas! but there have been lots of adventures you will want to hear about. it all began with the funny noises underground ... "
the polar express, by chris van allsburg - on a quiet christmas eve, a young boy is awakened from his deep sleep by the sound of a train. the boy is confused, as few trains ever pass by his home, so he rushes downstairs and begins to speak with the train's conductor, who tells him that the train is headed to the north pole.
a christmas carol, charles dickens - although it was written in 1843, it remains one of the most popular and enduring christmas stories of all time. a Christmas Carol is a morality tale about bitter miser ebeneezer scrooge. scrooge has sacrificed love and friendship to the worship of money and despises much of the world. after the oppressive boss refuses to show bob cratchit, his overworked and underpaid employee, any quarter, even on the day before christmas. the ghost of christmas past, christmas present, and christmas yet to come visit him and bring about a dramatic change in the bitter old man.
velvetten rabbit, margery williams bianco - much more than a children's book, this is a sweet story about the love between a boy and his shy stuffed rabbit. new to his nursery, velveteen rabbit asks one of toy's most knowledgeable friends, skinhorse, what it meant to be real. "when a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become real." and so begins the velveteen rabbit's journey into being real, not just for the boy, but for everyone.
peter rabbit's christmas collections, beatrix potter - a collection of short stories by one of the most famous and beloved children's book authors, including some of her best-known stories such as the tale of peter rabbit and the tale of benjamin bunny, as well as adorable christmas card illustrations.
FOR CHILDREN
many adults have lost the habit of reading, some never had it, others don't have the time in their busy lives. all the studies show that it's important to connect with books from an early age: it improves language, stimulates imagination and creativity, encourages empathy, improves critical thinking and helps concentration. these are more than enough reasons to include them in your christmas stocking.
small kids ( under the age of 5)
the crayons go back to school, drew day watt and oliver jeffries - after the worldwide success of the day the crayons quit, the crayons are now back in school, making friends and learning, especially in the art class that is their favorite.
rain before rainbows, smitri halls and david litchfield - this book was launched in digital format as part of "save the children's 'save with stories'" campaign during the covid-19 pandemic. it's about overcoming fear, holding on to hope and believing that there is still light and natural beauty in the world. in a time of heartbreaking wars and child suffering, we can all hope that after the rain comes a rainbow.
how did I get here?, philip bunting - this fun book shows us the incredible journey from the big bang to birth and is a great way to introduce the topic of the history of the universe and life.
not so small kids (7 to 10 years old)
a day in the life of an astronaut, mars and the distant stars: space as you've never seen it before, mike barfield and jess bradley - this fun new comic book collection takes you on a colorful and hilarious tour of our galaxy and beyond. explore the poisonous clouds of venus, the rings of saturn, and the raging storm on jupiter. explore nebulae, black holes, supernovas and distant galaxies. learn about the pioneers of space travel, the animals they sent to the stars for mankind to follow, and the breakthrough technology they used to get there.
the night bus hero, onjalif q. raúf - another incredible book from the author of the boy at the back of the class. we now know the story of the bully hector, always in trouble and making life hell for his classmates and teachers. but when he meets the homeless thomas, his life takes a turn and he begins an exciting adventure with mei-li, the teacher’s pet, in search of a daring thief, an identity switch and a secret code. over time, hector has come to understand what it is like to live homeless and how a person can lose everything in certain situations.
the christmas pig, j. k. rowling - a tender adventure by one of today's most renowned authors tells of jack's endless search for his beloved DP, who has disappeared into the land of the lost. in his search for his friend, jack goes where no other child has gone before - to the place where lost things stay. not even "loser" can stop jack and his substitute pig from rescuing DP. a story that deserves to become a christmas classic.
big kids (+ 11 years old)
a secret of birds and bones, kiran millwood hargrave - in a plague-ravaged Italian town, sofia's mother carves beautiful mementos from the bones of loved ones. but one day, she doesn't return home. sofia and her little brother ermin are sent to the convent orphanage, but soon escape, led by a mysterious new friend and her pet crow, corvith. together they cross the city underground, following clues in bones all the way to the towers of siena, where - surrounded by magpies - the children discover the terrible truth...
a sensitive story about a lonely mother and her two children in a dangerous time, which is the real heart of the story. there is plenty of action and danger for the impatient reader, and beautiful descriptions for those with a more imaginative nature.
unstoppable us: volume 1, yuval noah harari - from the world-renowned author of sapiens and homo deus, here is the story of how humans came to be on earth, from our evolution from primates to the most dominant species (and even a threat to life on earth)."To be a good person, you must understand the power you have and what to do with it."
the ballad of songbirds & snakes, suzanne collins - a return to the world of the hunger games with an equally exciting prequel about the life of young coriolanus snow, many years before he became president, and lucy gray baird, the female tribute he must mentor during the 10th annual hunger games.
cláudia cavaleiro the editor in chief for CINCO editorial. born in '82 in coimbra, she is graduated in philosophy from the university of coimbra. passionate about books and podcasts in a geek kind of way, she always find something interesting to research. loves to bring awareness to social problems and loves working at CINCO!
